


The Dawn Will Come

by MissMeggo



Series: The Prince, The Warrior, and The Rogue [1]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Multi, Post Game, Pre DA:I, UST, angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-19
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-05-02 10:39:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5245223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMeggo/pseuds/MissMeggo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All men are the Work of our Maker's Hands,<br/>From the lowest slaves<br/>To the highest kings.<br/>Those who bring harm<br/>Without provocation to the least of His children<br/>Are hated and accursed by the Maker. </p><p>He knelt before the marble statue of Andraste, repeating the same lines on a silent whisper.  They were words of caution for the future and desperate penance for his past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Eve

_All men are the Work of our Maker's Hands,_

_From the lowest slaves_

_To the highest kings._

_Those who bring harm_

_Without provocation to the least of His children_

_Are hated and accursed by the Maker._

He knelt before the marble statue of Andraste, repeating the same lines on a silent whisper.  They were words of caution for the future and desperate penance for his past.  The lines brought him little peace and for once, he was relieved to hear the quiet snick of the door opening behind him.  

The uninvited guest waited in respectful silence until the prayers were complete and he stood.  Sebastian nodded to his newly appointed Seneschal and motioned for him to follow.  The two made their way silently through the discreet doors that led into the wing that housed the royal family’s apartments.  They wove through twisting hallways and up a long flight of stairs to the rooms he had reclaimed as an office of sorts.  The two men made themselves comfortable in front of the cooling fire.

“I apologize for interrupting your solitude before evening meal Your Highness.”

“No apologies needed Burk.  I think, perhaps, I have spent too much time in solitude lately.”

“Memories can weigh heavily at times. Quiet reflection on them is not a weakness.  Nor is avoiding the masses that have descended on your home.”

Sebastian frowned.  Starkhaven castle had slowly begun to fill the past week as nobles from around the Free Marches flocked to his city.  Some came, speculating on how the prince would handle the one year anniversary of the Kirkwall Chantry’s destruction.  Other had come by invitation for the dedication of a new chapel, his memorial to Elthina.  “You’re as wise as I remember old friend.”

“And you’re more solemn Prince.  But I forget my place.  Lords Cassidy and Ainsley have arrived with news from the borders.”

“Have they found him?”  His Seneschal's somber look told him all he needed. “And the others?”

“A pirate ship captained by a dark haired woman was seen making port in Ostwick late one night, nearly a week ago, but they were gone by morning.  Our men were not close enough to see if it was her.  The dwarf was visited by Chantry seekers, but was released after a few days.  No news on anyone else serrah.”

“Tell the men to keep looking. Anymore news on dissent among the circles?”

“None have fallen, though rumors of apostates becoming bolder in their attacks on Templars has increased.  Knight Commander Warring’s last report says the mage’s seem uneasy, but he suspects no foul play or devious intent.”

“Good.”  

A low bell sounded through the castle and courtyard, signaling the beginning of the evening meal.  The visiting nobles would expect their host to appear, regardless of his desires to be alone.  With a sigh, he stood, pausing briefly in front of Burk.  “Please tell me Lord Cassidy left his daughters at home this time?”

“Only the one.  And the other arrives in the morning with his wife.”

Sebastian did nothing to hide his groan from the other man.  Burk had been a friend, and valued advisor, to the Vael’s for decades.  The older man was well aware of Sebastian’s feelings towards the matchmaking nobles who thrust a never ending parade of eligible young women in his path.  The Prince needs a Princess, he would hear the ladies whisper behind hands while lords saw a marriage to their daughters as nothing but a bettering of their own standings within the city-state.  

Steeling himself for the onslaught, Sebastian entered the dining hall, only to find a moment’s respite in the realization that Serrah Trevelyan’s daughter was seated to his right.  A lower ranking noble from Ostwick, his daughter was intelligent, well spoken, and betrothed to another.  Though they looked nothing alike, the young woman reminded him of Hawke.  A pang of loss shot through him, more painful than any arrow or blade.  Who knew the reigning Prince of Starkhaven would pine for nights spent in a rundown mansion or lowtown tavern, splitting a bottle of wine with an elven fugitive and Ferelden upstart.

He missed those nights, under the stars that shone through the crumbling ceiling.  Sebastian learned quickly that the quiet elf didn’t brood as Varric claimed, but watched.  Though Fenris lacked the ability to read, he was hardly uneducated.  The two men would often spend nights debating religious philosophies and political rhetoric. While Hawke became the vibrant center of Kirkwall, Fenris was its careful watchman.  Between them, there was an uncanny ability to be exactly where they were needed.  He envied their bond and, for a brief moment, had hoped to become an extension of it.

If his dinner guests picked up on the Prince’s melancholy mood, they were too polite to acknowledge it, believing him to be lost in contemplation over the losses in Kirkwall the previous year.  Only Lady Cassidy seemed determined to drag him into conversation.  The brunette was beautiful, clad in wine colored silk that dipped just a hairs breath lower than was considered appropriate.  Sebastian was aware of the rumors that swirled about his non existent pending betrothal to the young lady.    

A light hand on the heavy brocade of his jacket pulled Sebastian’s attention back towards his guests.  “I’m sorry Lady Cassidy, could you repeat that?  I must admit my mind was elsewhere.”

He ignored the way her eyes dimmed just slightly.  “I hope you know I’ve kept you in my thoughts my Prince.  What with the memories tomorrow may bring up, given your involvement that horrible night.”

_I will bring such an army with me when I return._ Sebastian schooled his features into a polite mask.  “I appreciate the concern my lady.”

“If you ever need a shoulder to lean on,” the young woman leaned forward, offering a clear view of her cleavage, “please know I’m here.”

He nodded, and murmured the appropriate pleasantries before returning his attention to his other guests, no longer caring if his behavior was rude.  By the time servers began clearing the dishes, his nerves were frayed raw.  A quick motion to his steward brought the man forward.  The man’s eyes widened as he requested an entire bottle of aggregio be opened and waiting in the royal quarters.  It was widely known the Prince rarely imbibed more than a glass of wine with dinner and a glass of whiskey as the evening progressed.

Rules be damned tonight, he thought.  His deserved the memories that would plague him this night.

It was his penance. 


	2. The Past

“I’ll return with an army to deal with your precious Anders.”

Lyssa Hawke, steadfast, unflappable rogue, rocked back on her heels as if he had slapped her.  Sebastian knew he should regret the words, but anger and despair roiled through him, demanding vengeance.

Anders sat, head bowed between them.  The people he had called friends stood watching as their argument grew and his threat hung between them.  Lyssa’s eyes darted between him and 

the abomination.  Her hand twitched on the blade she still clenched before sheathing it.  

“Now isn’t the time to cast judgments or play executioner.  We need to get to the gallows before it’s too late.”  She turned bleak eyes on Anders.  “You’re coming with me.  See if you can fix some of the damage you’ve caused.  Fenris, Bethany, you’re with me.  We’ll meet at the docks in an hour.  Anyone who wishes to join us may.  I won’t force you to fight with me.”  

Without another word, she turned her back on the group, exhaustion dripping from her usually graceful form.  Sebastian watched as she walked away, stopping only to brace her forearm against the sooty walls of Lowtown, head slumped forward.  Varric and Bethany followed after her, the dwarf resting a gloved hand against the small of her back as he spoke to her in quiet, urgent tones.  

Fenris came to stand beside him.  The elf seemed lost in thought as he stared at the still bowed head of Anders.  “Perhaps you should rethink your words.”  His quiet voice held a note of disapproval.

Sebastian turned on his friend, surprised hurt evident on his face.  “You’d let the abomination live?  After what he did?”  

“No.  I’d see him dead before the evening finished.” He paused.  “But not by Hawke’s hand.”

“She helped him destroy the Chantry!”

“You heard his words.  She was deceived as we all were.  I do not agree with Hawke’s leniency towards the abomination, but I respect that she considers him family.  Would you demand that she willingly take the life of another person she cares for?  Has she not had to do that enough?” Fenris gave a brief shake of his head.  “I understand your rage Sebastian, but remember who deserves it.”   With one last unreadable look, the warrior strode away, leaving him to contemplate the gentle rebuke. 

Unbidden, he thought back to the day he found her in the small, rarely used Chantry chapel.  A lit candle sat at the base of an opulent statue of Andraste, Hawke kneeling beside it.  He knew little of the woman, only recognizing her as the woman who fulfilled his contract on the Flint Company.  She hadn’t seemed the type to seek the Maker’s solace, yet he joined her.  They sat together in silence until she chose to speak, quiet stories of her brother and childish antics growing up, fighting beside him at Ostagar, watching and ogre take his life.  Sebastian had offered what comforts he could and, as she left, felt a growing respect for the young woman.

He found himself beginning to seek her out, looking forward to her company and, by extension, that of Fenris.  Sebastian became the tie that kept them all together when the elf’s memories began to surface and he pushed Lyssa away.  He was there while she grieved the loss of her mother, kept vigil as she recovered from her battle against the Arishok, helped her comfort Fenris as he fought the demons of his past.  As the months turned to years he found the respect he felt turn towards a sort of kinship towards them both.  They had become his home.

And he had destroyed it with words uttered in grief and anger.

“Choir boy?  You coming?”  Varric’s gruff question pulled Sebastian from his thoughts.  The normally gregarious dwarf looked at him with something bordering on contempt.    

“Right behind you.”  Anders was with Hawke.  So he would follow her and consider Fenris’ words.

Their fight through towards the docks was an endless nightmare of templars and mages.  Both sides killed indiscriminately and more than once they stopped an innocent from being slaughtered.  They arrived at the docks to find Alyssa and her group standing over the remains of a pride demon.  It was habit, he assured himself, as he looked her over for injury, relieved to find her uninjured.  He sought out the abomination, finding him removed from the group, seemingly docile.  Fenris stood nearby, close enough to intercede if Justice made another appearance.

They paused barely long enough to check for injury and refill potions before making their way onto Isabela’s newly acquired ship.  There were no friendly quips or jokes as they watched Kirkwall from the stern.  Fire and the haze of smoke smudged the skyline, deepening the already somber mood.  Lyssa sat alone, face eerily devoid of emotion.  Occasionally her eyes would flick from the horizon to their faces, but she never once looked at him.

Fighting through the Gallows proved to be a terrifying experience.  Sebastian knew he would relive it in nights to come as mages were cut down by templars and demons alike.  Orisino and Merideth both proved that neither was innocent as they turned upon their own people in their quest for the greater good.  The chaos proved almost overwhelming, even with the help of Cullen’s templars and when the red lyrium finally claimed the Knight Captain, a palpable sense of relief could be felt through mage and templar alike. 

Merrill was the first to notice.  In the confusion of battle, Anders had slipped away.  It was inevitable, he had spent his life evading those looking to capture him and none of them knew the smuggler tunnels like he did.  Sebastian found his previous anger had abandoned him, only weary exhaustion could be felt.  It wasn’t until Cullen began forming search parties that they realized Fenris and Lyssa had also disappeared.  Almost frantic, he began searching, yet neither could be found.  Both their homes were empty, even Bodhan, Sandal, and Oranna had fled the destruction.  Isabela disappeared into the night not long after.  

For weeks after Sebastian split his time between coordinating relief efforts and searching for his missing friends.  As templars and Chantry officials flooded the city state, he slowly stepped back from the chaos, quietly packing his own meager belongings and those he knew the other two had both cherished; Leandra’s portrait, a small collection of books, and a mabari figurine Fenris had given Lyssa on her name day a few years previous.

A month after the explosion, Sebastian left Kirkwall for Starkhaven, wiser and more somber than he had left nearly a decade before.  He reclaimed the throne with ease and set to work hunting down the abomination while searching for his former friends.  He worked tirelessly to reclaim the glory his city state once claimed, all the while shouldering the burden of guilt he felt.  The Starkhaven mage’s circle was rebuilt, almost in defiance of the oppressive buildings of the gallows.  Spacious, clean rooms circled a courtyard that included a small pond.  A new Chantry chapel was built and with it a clinic for those in need.  

 

He would better, he promised himself, than the man he had been that night.     



	3. The Present

There were times he missed the Hanged Man.  It wasn’t the ambiance or drinks he missed, but the anonymity.  Inside the Lowtown Tavern he was neither prince nor chantry brother, just another of Varric and Hawke’s assortment of friends.  Sebastian was surprised to find that this was one of those times.

Nobles from around the Free Marches filled nearly every seat in the Chantry Cathedral.  He sat to the side of the newly appointed Grand Cleric doing his best to look fully engaged while those around him whispered behind gloved hands or looked at him with a pitying eye.    

The service was a delicate balance between celebrating the future while remembering the past.  Even Sebastian spoke, even though it was highly irregular, even for a lay brother to speak at such an event.  The influence of the crown worked in his favor as he spoke to the crowd about forgiveness.  It was not a subject those gathered had expected if the looks of surprise were an indicator. 

After his words, Sebastian and the Grand Cleric blessed the new chapel.  A smaller, intimate place of worship that would be open to all, regardless of status or income.  The statue of Andraste was almost soft; her face carved in gentle, welcoming smile.  Pews had been forgone for padded benches in hope that people would feel comfortable in the space.  A portrait of Elthina hung in a small alcove in the back.  

Sebastian stood in the chapel for hours, listening politely as the Free Marches elite filtered in, offering both praise for returning to Starkhaven and condolences for his losses in Kirkwall.  The sun was nearly touching the horizon when he finally left to prepare for the evening's activities.

It was expected that the Prince would host a feast for the visiting dignitaries.  While it would be a solemn occasion, no dancing or exotic entertainments, there was still an an air of frivolity that had settled over the castle.  Sebastian took his time preparing, another perk of being Prince.  His entrance would come right before dinner was served.

Planning for the event had begun months before, along with the subtle, and not so subtle, machinations of who he would dine with.  To be seen at an event such as this with the Prince would be a boon to any noble family and Sebastian requested he choose his dining companions personally.     

The Grand Cleric accompanied him into the elegantly appointed dining room, seated beside him.  Together they sat with the knight captain and head enchanter of the Starkhaven circle.  On the surface, it seemed an odd grouping, but reinforced that the Prince held no ill will towards mages or templars alike.  It also allowed Sebastian the luxury of having a dinner free from questions about Kirkwall or prospective Princesses.  It was not the first time the four of them had dined together and he was willing to admit the conversation was always engaging.  There were rumors the Divine herself was intrigued by the rather unorthodox setup.  

Food and wine flowed freely and Sebastian watched those gathered with a fondness.  He would never be what they expected, neither playboy Prince or humble Chantry led ruler, but Starkhaven was beginning to flourish again.  As servers began clearing the tables, the head of his personal guard approached.  The normally unflappable man seemed concerned.

“Is everything alright Captain Greer?”

“Yes Your Highness.”  Greer hesitated slightly.  “The servants are reporting that there’s a young woman in your chambers, though the guards claim that no one has approached the private quarters all evening.”  Sebastian understood the unspoken question.

It wasn’t the first time a person had tried to sneak into his apartments during an event, though he was surprised she made it past his guards.  “I trust your men will escort her back to her quarters or family with the utmost respect Captain.  And if she isn’t a guest, see to it she makes it home safely and discreetly.”

“Of course Prince.”

Sure the matter was handled, Sebastian turned his attention back to the room.  The number of guests slowly began to dwindle as small groups of people returned to the ballroom.  While dancing would not be a part of the evening, a small quartet of musicians had been hired to provide ambiance.  The men would disperse to small parlors for after dinner drinks, while the women stayed in the ballroom.  Sebastian was just about to make his own exit when his Guard Captain approached him, brows furrowed in confusion.

“Prince Vael the . . .young lady in your room has proven quite. . .stubborn.  She refuses to leave and the men are worried physically removing her may cause a scene.”

“What exactly is she doing in my room Captain?”

“Just sitting beside the fire.”  He paused.  “One of the men also claim to have seen an elf on the balcony.  They said he….glowed.”

Sebastian stilled.  “Did the young lady give a name?”

“Lady Alyssa Carver.  One of my men remembered taking her invitation earlier, though I’m not aware of any nobles of that name.”

“Nor would you be Captain.  I’ll handle the situation myself.”

“But Prince Vael. . .”

“I have not become incapable since taking my title back Captain Greer or have you forgotten our latest training session?” He had made it a point to continue his training, not wanting to become soft or compliant.  Captain Greer nodded once in acquiescence before stepping back.  Sebastian turned to make his apologies to those waiting, then fell in beside his Captain. 

“You know her.”  It was more statement than question.

“I believe I do, yes.”

“I have to ask Ser,  is she a threat?”

Sebastian sighed.  “I have no idea, but I pray not.”

“My men and I-”

“Will stay in the hall,” he interrupted Greer.  “Your men will just complicate the situation.  And that’s an order.”  With a final warning look at the man, Sebastian pushed the door to his chambers open.

A fire crackled comfortingly in the oversized fireplace of his sitting room.  At first glance the room was empty.  As the first pang of disappointment shot through, the shadows seemed to shift.  Emerging from a darker corner, Sebastian saw her for the first time in a year.

The long red hair he had ached to touch had been cut short, barely grazing the line of her jaw.  Gone was the gaunt haunted look that he carried, instead she looked almost peaceful.  Sapphire blue silk seemed to cling to her upper body, molded seamlessly over what he assumed was a corset, then gave way to an intricately embroidered brocade at her hips.  Crossed laces wove from the back of her dress, over the hip and down along the thigh.  Though the dress could be laced from thigh to hem, Alyssa had left it loose, leaving a tantalizing hint of skin as she moved.  A crystal glass hung loosely from her fingertips.

“I don’t remember you being a whiskey person.”

Her smile was soft, eyes crinkling slightly as she took sip.  “I’ve been informed the best whiskey comes from Starkhaven and everyone knows the Prince receives the best barrels.”

“Your informant must be well versed.”  With an air of casualness he didn’t feel, Sebastian made his way towards her, taking the glass she offered.  Dozens of questions ran through his head all important, yet not.  Needing to compose his thoughts, he visually swept the room one last time and realized there someone missing.  

“Fenris?”

“He’s nearby, but thought we needed some time to talk.  Just the two of us.”  

Sebastian nodded in understanding.  A surprising contentedness swept over him as he offered Lyssa his arm.  They were both here.  The Maker had, for some reason, answered his unspoken prayers.  He would not waste this chance he had been given.  Her palm came to rest on the heavy material of his jacket.  Sebastian led her from the sitting room, down a hallway to the office he had sat in the day before with Burk.  Very few were invited to this private space for the very reason he was bringing Lyssa there.  

Here, in the relative privacy of the royal wings, was where he had placed his life from Kirkwall.  Her hand tightened around his forearm in surprise before she let go.  A small curio cabinet stood in a corner with odds and ends from her Kirkwall estate; gloves knit by Merrill, copies of Varric’s books, a lute Orana would play, the mabari carving Fenris had given her for a nameday, and a bouquet of dried flowers that had sat beside her bed.  Above the fireplace hung the portrait of Leandra as a young woman, the mantle covered in books salvaged from both hers and Fenris’ homes.

“Why?”  Both joy and sorrow colored her question.

“Because they were yours.  And his.”

Lyssa plucked a book from the mantle, turning it over in her hands.  “We went back you know, a few months ago.”  Her voice was low, lost in thought.  “Varric kept the looters and rioters away from the estate, Maker knows how.  I wondered where these went to though.”

“My men-”

“Are not very inconspicuous,” she interrupted.  “Isabela would prefer they stop looking for her in port.  It apparently makes life even more difficult for a pirate, though she does say it's done wonders for her notoriety.”

Sebastian’s small snort of laughter earned him a wry smile.  “Maker I have missed you.”  The words slipped out without warning, as if everything he had wanted to say for the past year came rushing forward.  “I will never forgive myself for what I asked of you that day.  I let my anger speak for me and I didn’t even stop to think of the pain you must have felt.  I tried to find you after, you or Fenris, but I couldn’t.”  With a disgusted shake of his head he turned from her and stalked across the room towards the well stocked liquor cabinet.

“Oh Sebastian.”  Lyssa exhaled the words on a quiet breath.  He heard the dull thud of the book being placed on a table or mantle and the quiet whisper of silk against carpeting.  Slim fingers covered his, pulling him away from the freshly poured whiskey. 

Lyssa’s arms wrapped tightly around his midsection, her head tucked comfortably under his chin.  Reflexively, Sebastian pulled her in closer oblivious to finery they both wore.  As they stood together, fine tremors ran down his spine as the stress he had carried for so long slowly began to dissolve.  He lost track of time, lost in the feel and scent of one of the people he thought he had lost a year before.  

Eventually he came back to himself, his arms loosening slightly.  Lyssa pulled away slightly, eyes damp.  “I don’t hate you.  I could never hate you.” 

A discreet knock sounded on his office door and Sebastian stiffened in frustration.  

“Never enough time,” Lyssa murmured.  She stretched up on tiptoes and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek.  “Lady Carver is staying at the Rose and Pint.  Perhaps you’ll visit before the end of the week.”  Without waiting for a response, he watched as she slipped into the shadows of his office and onto the balcony.  He lost sight of her, the door to his office swinging open to reveal his Captain and two guardsmen.  

“Are you alright Prince? We became concerned.”

Sebastian fought the urge to snap at Greer, the man was only doing his job.  “I’m fine as you can see Captain.”  He realized, that for the first time in a year, there was truth behind those words.

Greer’s eyes scanned the room, hand still on the pommel of his sword.  “The woman?”

“Not a threat.  In fact, please let Burk know Lady Carver and her companion are allowed access to the castle and the private apartments.”  He smoothed the barely wrinkled material of his jacket and nodded at the guards.  “I will be returning to my guests now.” 

He watched the Captain’s eyebrows tick up in surprise before smoothing into a blank mask before nodding and falling into place behind him.

He could face the nobles of Starkhaven with a sense of peace that had eluded him.

They were here and he was content.


	4. The Future

The note had been placed beside his bed. Meticulous blocky print on a heavy piece of Sebastian’s own stationary sat on the table beside his bed to be found long after Lyssa had disappeared back into the night. He had been disappointed Fenris had chosen to stay away that night, but the familiar script and message soothed him.  
It was two agonizing days before Sebastian could slip out of his castle before dawn. Notes left with both Senechal and Captain would ease their fears of foul play he hoped. His misspent youth made slipping through the castle undetected easier than he expected. It also helped, he thought with wry amusement, that he wasn’t attempting it drunk. Safely outside the walls, he melted into the early morning shadows.  
The streets were still empty of most, only those stumbling home from taverns and brothels or bakers and merchants beginning their day dotted the streets. No one paid any attention to another man on the streets, making his way from shop to shop until a small pack weighed heavily over his shoulder. It was only then that Sebastian made his way towards the outskirts of his city.  
The hollow, abandoned ruins of the old Starkhaven circle sat on the edge of the city proper. Time had worn the stone smooth, washing away scorch marks. Most avoided the burned husk of a building, worried about demons and ghosts that supposedly haunted the remains. Sebastian found the spot oddly peaceful. Both the river and the forest could be seen from the vantage point.   
He had forgotten how it felt to be alone. Even in his private quarters, the Prince was never truly alone. Guards, maids, and all number of people wove through his space whether private or personal, but here, for now, he was alone with his thoughts.  
Or not quite alone. Dual fissions of pleasure and contentedness ran down his spine as Fenris seemed to emerge from the shadowy ruins. Where Lyssa’s had had been shortened, Fenris’ was longer. He had foregone the heavy armor, but his blade was still strapped along his back.   
The two men met in the center of the ruins, hands grasping the other’s forearm in greeting.   
“I wondered if you would show.”  
“The captain of my guard has becoming increasingly paranoid since we were infiltrated so easily the other evening.”  
“He should be.” Fenris began picking his way through the ruins, Sebastian close behind him. “We’ve been here nearly a month and have been able to get far too close without detection. Your forces are lacking.” The underlying thread of concern in his friend’s voice was the only thing keeping Sebastian from bristling.  
“Perhaps you and Lyssa can offer pointers.”  
“Perhaps.”  
The two fell into a comfortable silence as they left the ruins behind them, following the Minanter River as it curved, forming a small grassy inlet. They drew to a stop and Sebastian dug through the pack he carried, unearthing freshly baked bread and a wedge of fragrant cheese. An oversized flat rock served as their table. Half the loaf of bread had disappeared before Sebastian spoke.  
“I thought I had lost you both. I saw the way our friends looked at me afterwards. I knew they blamed me and they had every right to.”  
A disapproving frown crossed his friend’s face. “What’s done is done my friend. You cannot take back words uttered that night, just as Hawke cannot change how she reacted to them”  
“Why did you tell no one where you went?”  
“We did what we thought was right. Going after the abomination seemed the right idea at the time. Neither of us stopped to think how the rest of you would feel. I wanted him dead, though she disagreed.”  
“And now?”  
With a weary sigh Fenris stood and reached his hand out to help him up. “We grew tired of fighting. For too long I’ve let retribution control my actions and Lyssa has given much of her life to fixing the problems of Thedas. It is time for us to let others carry that burden.” Fenris rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks darkening slightly. “I have taken enough of your time. You should return before someone recognizes you.”  
He let his friend change the subject without comment. Fenris had always been private, something that Sebastian had always respected. “Come back to the castle with me,” he offered, not wanting to leave after just finding him again.  
“It would be nice to walk in invited for once.”  
Sebastian frowned. “Just how many times have you broken into my castle in the past month?”   
“More than you’d like.”   
The two men left the banks of the Minanter, making their way through narrowed streets along the riverbank until they widened in the merchant’s quarter. Though the roads were different, there was a comfortable familiarity that brought back memories of Kirkwall for them both. They quietly reminisced as the road wove on, giving way to well maintained homes of nobility and eventually, Starkhaven castle.  
The guards at gate recognized him immediately, even without the finery he usually wore. Backs straightened and heads bowed in deference. Sebastian nodded once before crossing the courtyard, Fenris close to his side. Captain Greer emerged from the soldier’s barracks with Senechal Burk behind him. The captain looked haggard, while his old friend beamed from ear to ear.   
“It’s good to see you’re back lad. You had us worried there for a bit.” Burk’s grin was infectious.  
“I felt the need for a morning stroll is all.”  
“You shouldn’t have left the grounds without an escort,” Greer’s face had turned a mottled red.  
“I’m perfectly capable of handling things for a morning Captain. As is my friend here is quite handy with a sword.”  
“You shouldn’t have-”  
“Leave the Prince alone Greer. He’s a resourceful man.” Burk cleared his throat, hiding a laugh. “Your young lady has caused quite a stir this morning. She’s made herself quite at home in your apartments. Scared the servants a bit, finding you gone and a strange woman there instead.”  
“Lady Carver?” Sebastian shot Fenris questioning glance. The elf merely shrugged.  
“One in the same.” He paused and glanced between prince and elf. “I’ve taken the liberty of rescheduling the few appointments you had today.”  
“Thank you Burk.” Sebastian swore his senechal winked before turning back towards the barracks. Without waiting, Sebastian took off towards his apartments, ignoring that Greer fell in beside him while Fenris trailed behind. He willfully tuned out the blusterings of his Captain until they arrived. With an impatient push, the door to his private office swung open with a bang.  
Lyssa had foregone a dress this time, instead wearing heavy breeches and boots that Isabela would be proud of. A form fitting tunic in black was offset by a finely tooled leather vest. She sat quite contentedly at his desk, sipping his morning coffee, a half finished danish on a plate, her head buried in a book Sebastian had rescued from Starkhaven.  
“See here Prince, we can’t just have people coming and going whenever they see fit. My guards have no record of her even entering the castle.  
“Which is a problem.” Lyssa’s voice was politely sheathed steel. The book was meticulously set on Sebastian’s desk before she stood. From a pocket, she unearthed sheets of parchment, sealed with scarlet red wax. Hawke’s colors. “This is my list of suggestions, along with Fenris’s. We’ll be staying until we’re sure that Prince Vael’s safety is better ensured Captain. The next person who enters the castle undetected might not be so friendly.”  
Both Sebastian and Fenris bit back smiles as the captain blanched at her implications.  
“You heard the lady Captain. I suggest you spend the day reviewing Lady Carver’s suggestions. I’ll want a report in the morning.”  
“Yes serah.” With a low bow, the Captain turned on heel, closing the door softly behind him.  
“Well now.” Lyssa smiled as the two men broke into quiet chuckles. “I believe that’s enough excitement for one day. I suggest we retire to the balcony with a good book.”  
“I can think of no better way to spend the day,” Sebastian answered honestly.   
Lyssa grabbed the book from the desk and the three made their way towards the open balcony beyond. A well padded bench waited in the warm sun. Both Sebastian and Fenris made themselves comfortable, a Lyssa sized space between them. With a fond shake of her head, she settled between them, not sitting as they expected, but with her head in Sebastian’s lap and legs draped comfortably over Fenris’s.   
As she opened the book and began reading, Sebastian closed his eyes. Long, nimble fingers hesitantly began to card through his hair and without thought he leaned into them. As they became more confident, he smiled.  
He was home.


End file.
